HONDURAS: LANGUAGE ADOPTED

UNCLAS UNESCO PARIS FR 001407

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR IO AND WHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL PREL UNESCO
SUBJECT: HONDURAS: LANGUAGE ADOPTED


1. (SBU) Summary: The working group dealing with the Honduras draft
resolution agreed to language acceptable to both sides October 15,
after lengthy negotiating sessions led by Ambassador Killion. The
resolution was adopted under an agenda heading entitled, "Impacts on
the Education system and freedom of expression as a consequence of
the situation in Honduras," but the resolution itself has no title,
and Honduras is not mentioned in it by name. End summary.


2. (U) Following General Conference President Davidson Hepburn's
(Bahamas),decision to hand the problems of the Honduras draft
resolution to a working group within the Education Commission, the
U.S. and Brazil were asked to submit the names of three countries
who would make up the group. After much negotiation, Brazil was
joined by Argentina and India on one side, representing those states
that wished to have a resolution specific to Honduras; and the U.S.
was joined by Canada and Colombia on the other side, who were
opposed to a country-specific draft resolution. Mr. Ghaleeb Jeppie
of South Africa, served as the Working Group's neutral chair.


3. (U) After heated debate, the group gave the drafting pen to
India which produced a text that eventually gained consensus, but
does not refer specifically to Honduras. The text has no title, and
has only the Agenda Item document number on it.


4. (SBU) Comment: We consider this to be a major victory, because
the text does not refer to Honduras, or the events that have taken
place in Honduras, nor does it create any mandate for the
Director-General to take specific action with regard to the
situation in Honduras. End comment.


5. (U) Begin text:

TITLE: (none)

The General Conference,

Taking into account the Constitution of UNESCO, and in particular
its Article 1;

Reiterating that democracy and civil liberties remain the best
guarantee for the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms
in the context of UNESCO's core mandates;

Underlining, the possible negative impacts on the functions of an
education system resulting from a breakdown of a democratic system;

Stressing its desire for UNESCO to continue to provide its support
to Member States whose education systems may have been disrupted;


1. Requests the Director-General to follow developments within the
fields of competence of UNESCO in the interests of the right to
education and freedom of expression.

End text.


6. (SBU) Brazil attempted to include an EOV (explanation of vote),
but agreed that EOV's will be given when the Education Commission's
report is adopted in Plenary next week. We will eventually need the
Department's input on what the delegation should say when this issue
is raised.

KILLION